Rose Weasley and the Founders' Mission
by Moacat
Summary: Rose Weasley is the daughter of two of the most famous Gryffindors in history. So, when the Sorting begins, there isn't much mystery. Until the legendary four founders appear to her and give her an impossible task: To redeem Slytherin House in the eyes of the wizarding world. Armed with peculiar gifts and a predetermined destiny, her first year is certainly off to an unusual start.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! This will be my first Harry Potter fic. I will hopefully update again in the following week, but things are kind of hectic right now. Review if you want to, but I'll probably post anyway regardless. I don't like begging for reviews. Enjoy :)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or places mentioned in this fanfic. Unfortunately.**

 _Rose_

Rose Jeanne Weasley stood amidst her kin at the crowded 9 ¾ platform of King's Cross Station. Her family darted to and fro, bustling around her and the rest of the crowd.

Rose, in all her eleven and ½ years of life, remained the only one in her _very_ extended family that could stand to quietly observe people without always having to be doing _something_. The rest of the Weasleys, Potters, Delacours and Lupins all seemed to be unable to find inner peace. She contemplated that fact as she leaned against her cart, which was neatly packed with her trunk, along with her cousin, Albus, and his brother, James's. She had volunteered to watch the cart, partly because she wanted some alone time and claimed she needed to load the trunks on the train, and partly because she was often looked over anyway, and didn't want to waste anyone's time saying goodbye to her.

That said, she was sad to leave her family, and the only home she had ever known. Not that she wasn't looking forward to Hogwarts, of course, but that still seemed like a far-off dream at the moment. Rose sighed as she lifted the trunks into the storage car, wishing she had taken Albus's offer to help her. She finally managed to fit them in as the whistle on the train blew. Ten minutes to departure.

"Rosie, where are you?" A familiar voice called through the crowd. She smiled before responding.

"I'm right over here, Mum." She said, right before her mother wrapped her up in a hug.

"You weren't going to leave before saying goodbye, were you?" Her mother asked in a teasing tone. Rose rolled her eyes, smiling.

"Of course not, Mum. Though I would have liked to escape Dad's teasing about 'inheriting your brains'" She joked, letting her mother lead her back to the rest of her family. The rest of the ten minutes was spent with rushed goodbyes and hasty hugs, before the children boarded the Hogwarts Express. Her father did indeed say something about, 'Thank god you inherited your mother's brains', but what interested Rose the most was when he told her to beat a certain Malfoy in every test. At the time, she had laughed and joked along with her parents, but her attention stayed on the mysterious white-haired boy as she and her cousin began the journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

* * *

"What house do you think you'll be in?" Albus asked nervously as the train sped along the countryside. "I mean, I know I'll probably be in Gryffindor, but you never know…" He trailed off, noticing his cousin's obvious distraction. "Rose?"

She started, blinking a couple times. "Oh.. um, I really don't know, Al. Could be any of them." Truth be told, she hadn't really given a lot of thought to where she would be put. Any house would be fine with her, though her family was another story… "I guess Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, most likely." Albus stared in confusion.

"But not _Slytherin_ , right?" He asked quietly. "I mean, you wouldn't want to become one of those bloody Pureblood worshippers, right?"

Rose's eyes narrowed. Though the Weasleys had a long-standing dislike of Slytherin house, Rose hadn't expected the prejudice to carry on through _Harry Potter's_ son. The auror was one of the most open-minded people Rose had ever met. Furthermore, Albus was literally named after one of the most notorious Voldemort worshippers in history, and he was also a Slytherin.

" _Excuse_ me, All?" She said sharply. Her cousin looked surprised.

"Well, everyone knows that Slytherin's the worst house there is. I mean, pretty much all dark wizards come from that house. Plus, I'll bet that Malfoy kid is sorted into it, too." Rose gazed at her cousin sternly.

"That may be true, but I really don't' think we should stereotype it so quickly. We've never even _been_ to Hogwarts. It could be totally different than we've heard." She told him, slightly angry. True, if she was sorted into Slytherin her father would probably disown her, but that was mainly because of the rarely mentioned Malfoy-Weasley feud. She had just never expected to hear such a strong aversion from Al. He was her best friend, for god's sake, and Rose had never heard him mention anything like this.

"Let's not talk about this right now," Albus murmured. "Want to play a game of Exploding Snap?"

* * *

A collective gasp was issued from the first years as the doors to the great hall opened.

Rose had never seen anything more magnificent. Candles danced in the air, beads of wax slowly descending down their sides. The ceiling was a world of shimmering stars, no clouds in sight. On each side of the massive room there were two long oak tables - Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. The crowd of first-years _oohed_ and _awed,_ completely mystified by the colorful paintings and eccentric teachers. At the front of the room stood a long table, running parallel to the back wall. In the center there was a slightly elevated section for the headmaster. It was, overall, the most stupendous thing either cousin had ever witnessed.

It suddenly hit her then, that this was _real,_ that she was _actually_ at _Hogwarts,_ where she would practice magic for the next seven years. The stakes had never seemed so high. Perhaps Rose had overlooked the importance of the Houses, but she now realized that whatever the Sorting Hat shouted would determine where she lived, who she hung out with, and what she would be stereotyped as. Would she be a noble, brave, hotheaded Gryffindor? A sweet, shy, carefree Hufflepuff? A clever, sharp-witted Ravenclaw? Or, now most looked down on of all- a sly, cunning, _evil_ Slytherin? Everything was at stake in the next hour, where her future would be determined.

Up at the front, a shabby, torn wizard's hat sat on a three legged stool. It suddenly shifted, and a large fold opened up on its front. The eleven-year-olds watched in wonder as it began to sing.

 _Some may call me shabby, well, they're sadly misinformed-_

 _For I was a great wonder before they were even born-_

 _I can tell you where you'll be for the next seven years-_

 _But who you are and what you'll be is what you cannot hear._

 _A bold, daring Gryffindor, loyal to the core-_

 _Just the famous attributes, you are so much more-_

 _A sly, cunning Slytherin, determined to the end-_

 _It doesn't mean you have to greet the dark as an old friend._

 _For sharp, clever Ravenclaws, intelligence is best-_

 _However, gaining wisdom is not their only test-_

 _Finally, you Hufflepuffs, so patient and fair-_

 _It doesn't mean you're useless, or that you always care._

 _Though our great four founders thought these qualities were leading_

 _It isn't always others that we need to be defeating-_

 _For sometimes though House qualities is what we truly cherish-_

 _We must embrace our other sides, or we will surely perish._

 _Now all of you students, take my warning to the heart-_

 _Set aside past differences, and old plans you want to thwart-_

 _For I have something important that needs to be said-_

 _A house does not define you, at least not in the end._

A smatter of applause broke out as the hat finished its final verse. Rose and Albus looked at each other, confused. The song had sounded an awful lot like a warning. However, there was no time for conversation as the first name was called.

"Abbott-Longbottom, Alice!" Professor McGonagall called from the front. A woman of at least 90, the headmaster was still going strong even after 70+ years of teaching. Right now she was at the front of the great hall with a list of names. A small, brown-haired girl raced up to the front and put the hat on. It had barely been on her head for two seconds when it suddenly shouted.

"Gryffindor!" The girl jumped off the stool she had been sitting on and darted over to the Gryffindor table. Rose listened boredly as "Abernathy, Vanessa" was sorted into Slytherin, and "Calsin, Margaret" was sorted into Hufflepuff. Though her eyes widened in surprise when a, "Dursley, Rachel was called up to the front. Almost every Weasley or Potter in the room gasped. McGonagall looked around disapprovingly.

Rachel walked up to the front of the room. She didn't seem pudgy like her uncle had described Dudley, and she had a big smile plastered on her face. Her hair was a pretty auburn color, tinted red but not at all like Rose's curly, vibrant mess. She was a bit tall, too, and had dark eyes, as far as Rose could tell. She, overall, looked nothing like how Dudley had been described. She sat on the stool and Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head. It seemed to take forever to decide, but finally shouted, "Gryffindor!". There was a smattering of applause as she joined the red-and-gold clad table.

Rose zoned out a bit after that. The process of sorting seemed to take hours (Though there were about two hundred first years) but she focused again when Albus pinched her arm and muttered, "Malfoy." Through gritted teeth. She studied the young boy as he walked. He was about the same heights Rose, and had messy white-blonde hair. He was also very pale.

The entire student body watched in apprehension as the hat was placed on his head. Albus muttered,"Slytherin. Once a Malfoy, always a Malfoy." until Rose kicked him in the shins just as the hat's mouth (?) opened.

"Ravenclaw!"

Malfoy looked stunned. He, and apparently everyone else, had expected Slytherin. Nonetheless, he took off the hat and sat down at the Ravenclaw table. After "McLaggen, Thomas" was sorted into Hufflepuff, Albus's name was called. Rose whispered, "Good luck!" As he raced toward the stool. She held her breath as the hat screamed, "Gryffindor!" He smiled and joined the Gryffindor table, where his older brother ruffled his hair and smiled too.

It took a while, but, finally, Rose's name was called. She strode to the Headmaster, smiling nervously. She knew she was being watched by everyone-a child of ⅔ of the Golden Trio, she was used to it. However, she could not help but wonder what they saw.

Rose had inherited her father's vivid red hair, but it fell in her mother's curls. Depending on the day, it could either be frizzy or just impossible, but today it was tied back in a ponytail. Her eyes, unlike either of her parents, were a startling blue-green colour. She had freckles all over her face, but they weren't too big, rather like small dots of brown everywhere. She also wasn't exactly short, but not too tall either.

When she reached the stool, she squeezed her eyes shut and hoped for a good house. She really didn't want to have to tell her father that she wasn't in Gryffindor.

The hat covered almost her entire face. Rose startled as it began to speak into her mind.

 _Hmm… You are certainly brave, but… Gryffindor doesn't seem like such a good fit for you._ Rose mentally gasped. What would her dad do? _Definitely not Hufflepuff, but maybe Ravenclaw, you take after your mother, you know, she was a hare's breath away from being sorted into Ravenclaw, too. But-_ Suddenly, the room felt twenty degrees cooler. ( _ **A/N- Farenheit, sorry, it got like 30% cooler, I guess.**_ _)_ The old hat stiffened. _It seems I have a message for you. Open your eyes, child._

Rose opened her eyes, and gasped. The sorting hat was hovering above her head, lifeless. The students, which moments ago were whispering, had gone silent. It took a moment for her to realize why.

Every single person in the Great Hall had frozen. One student was in the middle of turning her head, so her hair was fanned out behind her. They hadn't _literally_ frozen-like, with ice, but nobody, even the teachers, was moving.

Fear shot through her. What could be powerful enough to freeze time for over one thousand wizards?

But what terrified her most were the wizards that appeared in front of her. There were four of them, and though they were lively, they seemed almost transparent. One of them had red robes on, and his hair was a red-grey transitional colour. Another was clad in dark blue robes, and looked peaceful and ethereal. She had dark brown hair streaked with grey, and studious dark grey eyes that pierced Rose. Another was a witch with yellow robes and a cheerful smile. She was short and plump, and overall seemed welcoming and easygoing with her light blond hair and light blue eyes. The last wizard frightened Rose. He was tall and grey-haired, with emerald robes and dark obsidian eyes. His mouth was twisted into a frown.

"Hello, Rose. It's very nice to meet you." The witch in yellow said. "My name is Helga Hufflepuff."

The redhead blinked, dumbfounded. There was absolutely no possible way for that to be true. The four founders were long dead.

"W-what?" She stuttered, glancing at each of the wizards. The one in red-Godric-spoke up.

"We haven't seen a student like you in decades." he said. "You don't fit into any one of the houses. It's almost like you fit into all of them." Rose just stared, dumbfounded. The blue witch-Rowena, she supposed, began to speak.

"Rose, although it would be best that you were in my house-" She earned a glare from the rest of her group,"There is one house in particular that needs you the most. We need you to bring our school back together. Inter-house harmony has been off for almost a century, and we _need you to fix it._ " The witch stepped back, satisfied. Rose narrowed her eyes.

"No way. Not Slytherin. My family will disown me." She said, surprised at her calm voice. She still couldn't believe this was real. Maybe she'd wake up in St. Mungo's tomorrow, and this will have all been a dream.

Salazar Slytherin, the wizard in green, had been silent so far. Yet he now decided to reason with Rose.

"Ms. Weasley," he stated flatly. "Although I would like to insure my house remain pureblood, my colleagues have forced me to agree on this subject. It will just grow smaller and smaller until there is no Slytherin left in the entire school. Which is unacceptable. You, of course, will be the first half-blood to ever join Slytherin house. However, we need you to heal our school and make Slytherin great again." he hesitated, drawing in a breath. "Ms. Weasley- _please-_ Save our school. Be the Savior of Slytherin."

You could have heard a pin drop, it was so quiet. Rose studied the group with careful eyes, contemplating the decision. From what she could tell, this would be a difficult task that most likely wouldn't succeed. Still, for some unfathomable reason, she found herself locking eyes with Salazar Slytherin and saying, "I will."

The relief was obvious on the four founders faces. Rose stood and asked, "What do I have to do?"

Helga Hufflepuff smiled radiantly. "From the four houses you belong in, we will each present a gift to aid your mission. I give you my Room of Requirement, which will conform to your wishes." She stepped back with a bow. Godric Gryffindor stepped forwards, eyes twinkling.

"I give you a helper, which will appear in due time. It's a good thing you don't have a pet." He said smiling. Rose frowned, confused. Rowena Ravenclaw stepped forward.

"Rose," She started. "I give you my diadem, which will clear your thoughts and protect you from corruption." A simple silver tiara appeared in hand. It was simple goblin-made silver, and had a dark blue jewel set in the middle. The gem had a large crack in it, but it was still beautiful. She waved her hand, and it turned into a silver necklace, the blue jewel hanging from silver chains. She waved her hand again, and it appeared on Rose's neck, beneath her robes. Finally, Salazar Slytherin stepped forward.

"Weasley, I give you the gift of Parseltongue, which nobody alive is capable of speaking. Inadvertently, that also gives you access to my Chamber of Secrets. Use it well." He winked and stepped back with his co-workers.

"It's time to unfreeze time, dear. See you soon." Helga Hufflepuff smiled and disappeared.

The noise of her fellow students calmed Rose as she sat with the hat on. It resumed its talk.

 _-You don't seem quite right for Ravenclaw, either. You are quite ambitious. Better be-_

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Great Hall was dead quiet. Then, suddenly, a deafening bout of applause exploded from the Slytherin table. Rose caught sight of Albus and James's identical gaping mouths as she walked over and sat down.

Turning around, she saw dozens of emotions flit across Albus's face, but one stuck with her for the rest of the night.

 _Betrayal._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey, guys! technically this isn't late, since I posted on Thursday and it's still Wednesday where I am. Any way, I hope you like this chapter! Reviews are always appreciated, as is constructive criticism. The next chapter (Hopefully) will be up next week, but I'm going to my Grandma's houseand they only turn the Wifi on when one of them wants to use it, which means writing will be kinda hard. Also, I'm sure you're wondering what Rose's helper is, and that should be revealed in either the third or fourth chapter. The founders will reapear soon as well. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: Although it pains me to say it, I do not, nor will I ever, own the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.**

 **Chp. 2**

 _Scorpius_

Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy was anything but prejudiced.

One would think he would be, considering his family history. But his parents had made sure to drill it into his head that there was no such thing as a pure wizard, and that past mistakes do not define you. He was, however, very, very rich, and a _tad_ spoiled. But, you know, just a bit.

So his "Going Away" present didn't surprise him in the slightest, nor did the Firebolt 2000 (Even though first years weren't supposed to have brooms, which he was well aware of), or the way his wallet was bulging with money. Being a Malfoy had its perks.

However, it wasn't all fun and games. Scorpius could pretend not to hear the whispers, or the angry glares, or even the people who insulted his father in the middle of the street. He could pretend that every time someone heard his full name they didn't develop a cold glint in their eyes, as the Malfoy family was responsible for dozens of deaths. He had learned a long time ago that it was quite useless to expect any different. However, he had hoped that maybe the younger generation at Hogwarts would be different. Maybe, instead of judging him from his last name, they could judge him as the prick he was.

He stood nervously at platform 3/4 , listening to the speech his father was currently giving him. Although he loved his dad, Draco had always been a bit, well, _formal._ Right now he was on the topic of the Weasleys.

"You see that girl over there?" Scorpius's head turned to a mob of wily gingers. Off to the side a bit, by a cart packed with trunks, was a calmer, more tame looking girl. For a split second, they locked eyes. He looked away quickly. "That's Ron Weasley's kid, make sure you triumph in every subject you to share. Be careful, though, she's probably got Granger's brains. Now, listen," Scorpius turned his attention to his father. "No matter what the other students say, remember who you are. And also, don't be too rude to the Potter kid, he's probably halfway decent. I don't want you to have my childhood, Scorpius." The train's whistle blew, and Scorpius hurriedly boarded the train with his owl, Orion. He smiled.

He was finally going to Hogwarts.

* * *

The sorting ceremony bored Scorpius to the core. He had never been one for long, boring speeches, but listening to a bunch of whiny kids' names get called and then jumping every five seconds as the hat screamed "SLYTHERIN!" or "HUFFLEPUFF" or whatever else. When his name was _finally_ called, he strode up the aisle importantly, determined not to take in the crowd's stories, and sat on the stool as the hat was jammed onto him.

 _Ah, a Malfoy._ Scorpius grimaced. Of course.

 _Here it comes,_ he thought. The hat spoke again.

 _Well, you could be cunning, but you don't really strike me as much of a snake._ "Thanks," Scorpius muttered sarcastically under his breath. "I try."

 _Yes, well, you certainly do. Wise for your age, I bet you could solve any riddle._ He rolled his eyes. This was going nowhere.

 _On the contrary. I think you'll do nicely in-_

"RAVENCLAW!"

To say he was shocked would be an understatement. He was utterly stunned. Bewildered. Flabbergasted.

His whole life, he had just assumed he would be sorted into Slytherin. His dad had been one, as had his grandfather and great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather, and so on.

Then the Ravenclaw table broke out in applause, and he smiled triumphantly, making his way over to them. He, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, was a Ravenclaw.

Grandfather Lucius would have been revolted.

* * *

Later, after the feast where nobody really talked to him, (Not that he was complaining, the food was excellent) he wrote a quick letter to his father. He hoped he would like the news.

 _Dad-_

 _I probably should wait until morning to write, but I'll send a more detailed letter later. Right now I just wanted to tell you something important._

 _I'm in Ravenclaw! Apparently I'm not "Snakelike" enough for the sorting hat. Which is fine by me, because I love the common room and the dorms. They all have these flowy blue curtains and gold designs on the walls. Which sounds girly, but it's not._

 _Anyway, I have to go, I think my candle is bothering my roommates._

 _-Scorpius_

 _P.S. Oh, and that Weasley girl you pointed out to me? She got Slytherin, if you can believe that. I bet her parents aren't too happy. Or at least her dad, you say he's got a temper._

* * *

 _Rose_

The Slytherin common rooms were down in the dungeon, near the potions classroom. Rose couldn't help but be awed by the architecture. The Slytherin Common Room door was a heavy dark oak, with silver hinges and a large snake engraving in the middle. It hissed, "Passssssword." As the first years approached When the prefects, a girl named Natalie Ratchet and a boy named Eli Bowman said the password, "Emerald", the snake hissed, "Proceeded." and the door swung open. Rose was not prepared for what she saw next.

All her life, Slytherins had been described as untrustworthy, cruel and filthy (All conversations that did not include Aunt Andromeda, respectively). So coming into the Common Room, she had expected a cold, dark dungeon, maybe with pureblood mottos inscribed in blood on the walls and lounging Death Eater descendants murmuring about evil schemes and plans. The truth of it couldn't be more different.

The floor was a rich mahogany, spanning the entire room. The walls, which Rose had assumed were cold stone like the rest of the dungeons, were draped in velvet green curtains that parted only for high windows near the ceiling, and a large shimmering pane of glass that formed the domed cieling looked into the inky black water of what she guessed was the lake.. The entire room was cylinder shaped, with a dome ceiling that had to be at least twenty feet high. Silver drapings hung from the center and connected gracefully on the edge. There were four roaring fires, which lit the cavernous room and provided much needed warmth to the otherwise would-be cold dungeon. Dark green rugs sat at the feet of numerous armchairs and couches, which ranged in color from light green to deep grey. Above one fireplace sat an ornate snake statue, complete with inlaid emeralds for scales,and ruby eyes.

Students lounged about, catching up with friends after the summer. Two fourth year boys were struggling to lift a large trunk up one set of stairs across the room from the first years. There was another staircase next to it- Rose supposed it was for the girl's dormitories. She and the other female first years followed Natalie Ratchet up the staircase on the left side of the room reached a large landing with seven dark wooden doors equal distance apart. They entered through the first door on the left and found yet another staircase, this time a spiral. As soon as each girl was on it, the steps began to rotate upwards, and in no time they reached a bright, circular tower complete with five oak four-poster beds with green sheets, large, open windows, and a private bathroom. Each girl's bed had a nightstand on one side and a small dresser on the other. The curtains on the beds were velvety green.

As the other girls raced through the luxurious dormitory and examined the soft, clean sheets, Rose contemplated the things she had seen earlier that day. She still couldn't wrap her head around the idea that the long-dead legendary founders had appeared to her during her sorting and placed her in goddamn _Slytherin,_ which had to be the most preposterous thing she had ever heard. Yes, she had stood up for the disgraced House on the train, but only because she couldn't stand Albus's stupid, prejudiced talk. And sure, she had been open to any of the houses, but she was a _Weasley,_ for Godric's sake, Slytherin shouldn't have even been an _option_!

Plus, the conversation she had had with the founders had been so agonizingly brief that she could barely comprehend half the scarce information they had given her.

And Albus's face after the sorting… _No._ She did not want to think about that. It was too painful, and she would not let it spoil her first night at Hogwarts.

Sighing, she made her way over to the corner bed on the left, where she discovered her clothes in the dresser and her trunk under the magnificent bed. Not even bothering to change into pajamas, she flopped down into the silky, soft bedspread, haphazardly set the alarm clock, and sank into the black oblivion of sleep.

* * *

 _Dear Mum and Dad,_

 _First off, Hogwarts is amazing! You were absolutely right about everything. I'm sure you'd like to hear about the sorting. That Malfoy boy was sorted into Ravenclaw, surprisingly. Albus is Gryffindor (No surprise there). But there was something really odd about this sorting. Well, two things, actually, but moving on._

 _There was a witch named Rachel Dursley sorted into Gryffindor. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Uncle Harry's Aunt and Uncle's last name Dursley? And his cousin, too? You might want to pass on that information to him. Although it might just be a common dame._

 _As for the other news, well… here it goes: Dad, I'm not in Gryffindor. And before you freak out, you might want to hear the rest._

 _So, I wasn't brave enough for Gryffindor. I apparently wasn't kind-hearted enough for Hufflepuff, so the only real consideration was Ravenclaw. Except… the Sorting Hat thought I was very ambitious, too, so…_

 _I was put in Slytherin._

 _Before you hit the roof, Dad, just remember that there are far worse things to be than cunning and intelligent. This doesn't change who I am, and, quite frankly, I like Slytherin. It's definitely better than how you described it._

 _Anyways, I really have to go, because I want to send this before everyone else in the Weasley clan sends their letters and tells you. At Least you're hearing it from me._

 _With love,_

 _Rose_

Rose sighed, reading over her parchment. It was nearing 6:00 a.m., and classes didn't start until 7:45, but if she didn't hurry all the good owls in the owlery would be gone. She wished she could tell them in person, of course, but since that wasn't possible a letter would have to do.

She loved her dad, but sometimes he could have a bit of a temper, which was largely around the topic of Slytherin and/or the Malfoys. When he found out his own daughter was a, "Rotten, disgusting death eater scum" he wouldn't be too pleased. She put on her robes and descended down the stairs, only to find that the roof window that looked into the lake was alive with color. A multi colored eel swam across the pane, zapping any fish that dared come near it. Rose watched in fascination for a few moments, then moved on to the Owlery.

Owls were dead useful, and many of her family members had wondered why she hadn't gotten one when she had the chance. But when she had entered the Owl Emporium, it just hadn't felt right. She wanted to wait for the right companion. Rose chose a cheerful tawny owl, and watched it soar into the sunrise. By the time she got back to the common room, most of the other students were waking up, so she joined her roommates.

Last night she hadn't been very observant, but now she studied the four other girls. She hadn't really paid attention to the rest of the Slytherins because she hadn't expected to be sorted into the house.

One of the girls, a blonde with clear blue eyes, noticed Rose and sashayed over. "I heard you're the daughter of Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Is that right?" Her voice was obnoxiously giggly.

"Yes, it is." Rose muttered, not wanting to drag out the conversation. The girl smiled radiantly.

"Well, my name is Madeline Goyle. I'm pureblood," The fact that she felt it made her more worthy of Rose's time was aggravating. Madeline dropped her voice to a murmur. "I can help you find the right sort of people to hang out with, instead of mudbloods and such. Although you do come from a family of blood traitors, I can make an exception." Trying not to roll her eyes, Rose replied with a stiff, "No thank you." and walked back to her bed, ignoring the shocked, angry look on Goyle's face.

The girl on the bed next to Rose's snickered. She had dark, dark brown hair with a purple stripe and dark blue eyes. Although deathly pale and skinny, she radiated an aura of "Don't mess with me".

"I'm Sophia Zabini, and I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that you are either Rose Weasley, or some other Weasley in general." She said, smiling. Rose looked at her, smirking.

"Well, how many other Weasleys are approached by a pureblood fanatic and asked to join their little cult?" She asked teasingly. Sophie rolled her eyes.

"That girl's a monster. I've known her since I was two, she always stole my Lil' Witch dolls and covered them in nail polish. I had to hang out with her, since she's one of my dad's friend's daughters." Rose laughed. She seemed nice, and a this point, she had a feeling she wouldn't be making friends in ny of the other houses.

"Anyway, I was about to head down to breakfast, so why don't you jo- _Oi, Ness, if you want to borrow my hairbrush, just ask!_ Sorry, that's the girl who has the bed next to me." She grabbed a startled dark-skinned black haired girl with wide, dark eyes. Her hair was long and curly, held back in a sloppy braid. When she smiled, a perfect set of pearly white teeth were uncovered. She was, plainly put, quite pretty.

"Hi, I'm Vanessa, but you can call me Ness. And for the record, I wasn't trying to borrow the hairbrush, it would probably break in my hair anyway."

Rose grinned politely. "I think your hair's gorgeous. Oh, and Sophia, I would love to join you at breakfast, if you aren't scared by the possibility of a Howler from my father and/or numerous angry redheads. I assure you, it's far more terrifying than it sounds. The Weasleys could form an entire army in this school alone." Sophia laughed.

"Let's bring Ness along, too, and then we can fight them off together." She said, and the three made their way down to the Great Hall in comfortable silence.

* * *

The letter arrived halfway through breakfast.

 _Rose-_

 _I am writing this brief letter as a warning. Your father and I received your letter, and he isn't very happy. I suggest you find yourself in a deserted corridor during lunch, because the Howler Ron is preparing does not sound like something you want your fellow students to hear. Although you might want Albus with you, if you two are speaking._

 _Also, I told Harry about the Dursley girl, and I think he is writing his cousin about it now. And the Malfoy boy must have some serious wit for the Sorting Hat to overlook his family history-not that it should matter._

 _Rose, I just want you to know that I support your choices, whatever they may be. And I don't think Slytherin defines you. While I've had some bad experience with Slytherins in the past, that's just water under the bridge now. When I was young, I had a very close Slytherin friend, though we both made conflicting choices in the end._

 _All I'm saying, Rose, is that I'm very, very proud of you._

 _Love,_

 _Mum_

Rose bit her lip with worry as she showed the note to her both grimaced with worry. Sophie (She had insisted Rose call her that) had said, "We're going with you." In a matter-of-fact tone. Rose didn't disagree, she was touched that her newfound friends wanted to be there to support her.

Ness had glared at the paper and added, "And your father may or may not be receiving a Weasley's Wailing Letter tomorrow morning."

Rose rolled her eyes and muttered, "I didn't hear that." Her father was an auror after all. Ness didn't look like she cared much.

"Do you think he would appreciate a complementary green and silver roses?" Sophie asked politely. "There's so much symbolism."

Rose snorted into her oatmeal. The three were already fast friends.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! I know, I'm awful, it's been three months. But this year has been so freaking insane. I apologize in advance for the cliffhanger at the end, but the chapter was getting too long and I had to end it somewhere. Anyway, enjoy!**

 **Chp. 3**

 _Scorpius_

Ravenclaw.

How the _hell_ did he end up in Ravenclaw, of all houses?

The Sorting hat was probably too old and worn that it just couldn't make valid decisions anymore. Because there was no way that Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, Grandson of Lucius Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy fortune, could possibly be clever enough to defy tradition and not be a Slytherin. It was impossible!

Maybe he was adopted. That would explain it.

But, nevertheless, on September second he found himself not in the moldy green dungeon, but instead in a ceilingless tower draped in dark blue curtains. Scorpius rested in a fluffy white bed, on top of blue satin sheets. Orion sat on a white wooden perch next to his bed, ruffling his pure black feathers sleepily. He had woken up early, which gave him a chance to examine his dorm mates. There were four boy dorms and five girl first year dorms, with five students each. Apparently about twenty years ago, during the war, there had only been one dorm each, because of Lord Voldemort killing people all the time. Nobody wanted to bring a child into that, and as a result, there had been only a fraction of the normal population of Hogwarts. But now there were plenty of witches and wizards at the school.

There were four other boys residing in the tower. The first was in the bed to Scorpius's right. He and the boy in the bed to _his_ right looked exactly alike. They each had pale blond hair and rather tan faces, as if they spent most of their time outside. The two other beds were occupied by a small boy with dark brown hair, and very muscular one with light brown hair. The last one reminded him of a buff pig. Scorpius didn't feel like interacting much, afraid that he would be shunned for his blood, so he quietly left the dorm.

Scorpius, like the other first years, had been given a map of Hogwarts. Whenever you needed to find a classroom or hallway, you simply spoke to the map and it provided directions. It was also spelled to return to your robe pocket if you ever lost it. The pale boy wandered around the castle aimlessly, studying the intricate paintings on the wall. It seemed you had to be incredibly gifted to be a painter in the magical world, as the people moved around frantically. It was a miracle they weren't all deformed and asymmetrical.

Scorpius stumbled upon the owlery just in time to see a frantic Rose Weasley rush from it. He just barely managed to hide around the corner in time, and he thanked Dumbledore for it, because she looked quite frustrated. He did not want to meet Rose Weasley in an empty hallway for obvious reasons. The Weasley-Granger-Potter clan hated the Malfoys, and vice versa. He didn't know much about Rose, but all she knew was his name, and that was more than enough reason to be wary of her. He watched as she darted down the hallway and out of sight.

The rest of his morning was dull and uneventful. He was one if the first people to breakfast and ate quickly to avoid the majority of the other students. He noticed Harry Potter's son eyeing him angrily and decided to leave and head back up to his dorm. The other Ravenclaws were starting to trickle in, which meant the tower would hopefully be empty by the time he got there. Or at least his fellow students would be rushing to get to breakfast and not bother to realize he was there.

* * *

 _Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy_

 _Ravenclaw-First Year_

 _Daily Schedules_

 _6:30-7:35 a.m.- Breakfast, Great Hall._

 _7:45-9:00 a.m.- Double Potions (Ravenclaw/Slytherin), Dungeon, Prof. Heartstorm._

 _9:05-10:20 a.m.- Charms, Classroom #15, 3rd Floor, Prof. Patil._

 _10:25-11:15 a.m. - Lunch, Great Hall._

 _11:20-12:35 p.m. - Defence Against the Dark Arts, Classroom #9, 5th Floor, Prof. Hallen_

 _12:40-1:55 p.m.- Transfiguration, Classroom #3, 4th Floor, Prof. McGonagall._

 _2:00-3:15 p.m.- I.C. Classes. See Below._

 _Dinner- 5:00- 7:00 p.m., Great Hall._

 _I.C. (Inter-Changing) Classes:_

 _Double Herbology (Ravenclaw/Slytherin)- Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Greenhouse #1, Prof. Longbottom._

 _Double Flying Lessons (Ravenclaw/Slytherin)- Tuesdays, Quidditch Pitch, Madam Crone._

 _Double History of Magic (Ravenclaw/Slytherin)- Thursdays, Classroom #14, 5th Floor, Prof. Binns._

 _Other Classes:_

 _Double Astronomy (Ravenclaw/Slytherin)- Wednesdays, 8:00- 9;00 p.m., Astronomy Tower, Prof. Lovegood._

 _First years are to be reminded that lateness and forgotten materials will only be tolerated the first week of school. Teachers may punish students as they see fit._

"Of course." Scorpius muttered. Of course he had potions with Slytherin. Why not throw in tea with Lucius Malfoy while they were at it? Oh, and maybe dinner with the Potters, as well!

He had found the schedule on his pillow after returning to the dorm. After being delighted that no one was left in it, his mood had quickly turned sour. Not to mention that Rose Weasley was in Slytherin as well.

A quick glance at the clock sent him speeding in the direction of the dungeons. He got there with a minute to spare and chose a seat in the very back, praying no one would notice or recognize him. The entire class seemed dreadfully boring. Where was all the _style?_ Where were the rich Slytherin purebloods he had heard so much about? He occupied himself by counting the amount of people he would have to avoid for the next seven years.

 _Hm, there's Goyle, with Lestrange, definitely stay away from them. Ah, Creevey, him too._ He noticed the identical boys from his dorm sitting a few rows in front of him and recalled their last name. _Oh yeah, the Lovegoods, them as well. Who else… there's Mclaggen, and Carrow…_

His musings were interrupted by a loud _thump_ as someone sat there bag down beside him. Who the heck would want to sit by him?

"Hi. I'm Rose Weasley. Mind if I sit here?" Said the thin red haired girl to his left. He gaped at her in shock as she stuck out her hand. After waiting for a moment, she rolled her eyes and sat down anyway. "Hello, Malfoy? Are you mute or something?"

* * *

 _Rose_

He was still looking at her with that peculiar look on his face, as if she had just grown three heads and asked him to kiss a turkey. She didn't think it was that odd for her to sit by him. The dude needed all the friends he could get at this point.

"I… why… What are you doing?" He finally managed to stutter. Rose's face split into a grin.

"Oh, so you _can_ talk. Good to know, since we're going to be pretty good friends for the next several years." She told him. He now wore a blank, mystified expression.

"I'm still so confused." He told her, looking around for any prank-like objects around the room. She laughed at his guarded expression.

"Well," She said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Your father probably told you the same thing mine did: Not to befriend each other. But since you're in Ravenclaw and I'm in Slytherin and we've both defied our family stereotypes, we're going to become close friends. Naturally. So," She leaned in closer. "What are your hobbies, Scorpius Malfoy?"

* * *

 _Scorpius_

He started to bewilderedly reply but was cut off by a loud voice issued from the front of the dungeon. "Excellent work, class, you have all made it on time."

Professor Heartstorm came as a huge shock to the group of first years. The woman looked to be about twenty-five, a young age for such a position, and spoke in a way that commanded attention. She sat in a muggle rolling desk chair, wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt under her robes. Her hair was spiky and blue, while her eyes were a deep brown. Her ears had multiple piercings, and she even had a nose stud. But what was most peculiar about her were her tattoos. They encircled her arms, neck, and the students assumed the rest of her body.

Scorpius had never seen wizard tattoos before. On her left arm a purple dragon marched up and down her arm, pausing every couple minutes to breath a great plume of inky fire. A pink hummingbird danced on her neck, and the word "Imagine" encircled her right wrist.

"Please take out your cauldrons, gloves, and phials and set them on your desk in front of you." She told them, and immediately took out her wand to start writing the directions on the board. "Oh, and take out your book as well. You know, the one about potions and drafts-yes, that one." She told them as a Ravenclaw boy held up the book in question.

"Alright. So." Professor Heartstorm stood on her chair. "What I want you to do is follow these directions," She gestured to the board, "And try your best make the potion. The student cupboard is always open. Don't worry, this is only so I can gauge your natural abilities. Further directions are on page 12. Good luck." She smiled and retreated to her desk.

Rose immediately turned to Scorpius. "Race you. First one done wins." She said, a devious look on her face. Scorpius was still a bit freaked out by her approach, but he wasn't about to pass up a good challenge.

"You're on."

An hour later, the two first years were exhausted. Both had managed to create their own rendition of a _dedit summitatum_ Potion. If swallowed, the animal or person who had drank it would instantly sprout wings.

"I'm sorry, Carrow, but this is simply dreadful. Mclaggen, better, but definitely not great… Don't worry, class, this is only a pretest. Schmander… no. _Other_ Schmand-" She broke off with a small gasp and sprinted over to where Scorpius sat. "Oh, my. Never in my years as an educator… Miss Weasley, I believe? And… Mister _Malfoy_?" Both students nodded in confirmation. "Well, you've both certainly passed my expectations… Not one, but _two_ of the greatest first year potions I have ever seen." She shook her head in fascination. "Perfect color, the fumes are excellent, marvelous technique… You've both earned by admiration."

"But who's was better?" Rose and Scorpius blurted out at the same time. They grinned guiltily.

"Hard to say. I'd grade them about equal." Looking at their disappointed faces, she added, "Life isn't a competition, students." A bell chimed throughout the school. "Ah, out of time already. Please write a 5 in. long essay about what went wrong with your potion. Except for you two," She pointed at them. "You're off the hook. Later dudes!"

"What do you have next?" The redhead next to him inquired.

"Charms."

"Pity, I have Transfiguration. See you at lunch." She ruffled his hair playfully and walked out of the dungeon, accompanied by two astonished Slytherin girls.

* * *

 _Rose_

"What was _that?_ " Sophie exclaimed as soon as they left the dungeons. Rose looked at her in surprise.

"What was what?" She asked, an innocent look on her face. Sophie rolled her eyes.

"You know what. Malfoy? Really?" Rose shot her a glare that would have made a grown man cower and fear. Ness looked terrified.

"Is that really what this is about, Sophie? Blood? Because I think you might want to reevaluate your stance on the matter if we're to continue being civil to each other." Sophie blinked, taken aback by Rose's ferocity.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. But will you sit by us next potions?" Rose smiled agreeably.

"Of course I'll sit with you guys," She said. Sophie looked relieved.

"Next to Scorpius Malfoy.

* * *

Transfiguration was a particularly interesting class. Professor McGonagall was definitely not a teacher to cross. She started the period by saying that under no uncertain terms would she tolerate any sort of rule breaking or insubordination. How she managed to be Headmistress and teach Transfiguration at the same time was beyond Rose. Their first class was spent talking about Animagi.

"Who can tell me what an Animagus is?" Rose's hand shot into the air.

"Miss Weasley?" McGonagall asked, a peculiar smile on her face.

"An Animagus is a skilled witch or wizard who can transform into a specific animal at will. The process of becoming an Animagus is extremely difficult and requires multiple rare ingredients, including the leaf of a Mandrake." She said in a single breath. Professor McGonagall looked almost impressed.

"Nicely worded, Miss Weasley. Can anyone tell me about a new development in Animagi research?" A tall brunette raised her hand halfheartedly.

"Uh, wasn't there like something about a different species or something?" She asked. Their Professor nodded.

Yes indeed. Until about fifty years ago, we believed that Animagus could only be made, not born. However, several cases came to light where the witch or wizard was born with the power to shapeshift. It was extremely rare, but in most cases the child did not realize they had this particular ability until they were around an atmosphere of extreme amounts of magic." She glanced at the clock. "Which is why on Friday you will each take a quick exam to discover whether or not you were born with the Animagus gene. Class dismissed." The bell rung immediately after she spoke.

"What class do we have next?" Ness asked as the trio exited the classroom. Rose looked down at her schedule.

 _Rose Jeanne Weasley_

 _Slytherin-First Year_

 _Daily Schedules_

 _6:30-7:35 a.m.- Breakfast, Great Hall._

 _7:45-9:00 a.m.- Double Potions (Ravenclaw/Slytherin), Dungeon, Prof. Heartstorm._

 _9:05-10:20 a.m.- Transfiguration, Classroom #3, 4th Floor, Prof. McGonagall._

 _10:25-11:15 a.m. - Lunch, Great Hall._

 _11:20-12:35 p.m. - Charms, Classroom #15, 3rd Floor, Prof. Patil._

 _12:40-1:55 p.m.- Defence Against the Dark Arts, Classroom #9, .5th Floor, Prof. Hallen._

 _2:00-3:15 p.m.- I.C. Classes. See Below._

 _Dinner- 5:00- 7:00 p.m., Great Hall._

 _I.C. (Inter-Changing) Classes:_

 _Double Herbology (Ravenclaw/Slytherin)- Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Greenhouse #1, Prof. Longbottom._

 _Double Flying Lessons (Ravenclaw/Slytherin)- Tuesdays, Quidditch Pitch, Madam Crone._

 _Double History of Magic (Ravenclaw/Slytherin)- Thursdays, Classroom #14, 5th Floor, Prof. Binns._

 _Other Classes:_

 _Double Astronomy (Ravenclaw/Slytherin)- Wednesdays, 8:00- 9;00 p.m., Astronomy Tower, Prof. Lovegood._

 _First years are to be reminded that lateness and forgotten materials will only be tolerated the first week of school. Teachers may punish students as they see fit._

"Lunch, then Defence." She answered, tucking the schedule back into her bag. "But we'd better hurry, or all the good food will be gone."

* * *

 _Scorpius_

Charms was a bit boring, if you asked him. It was all, "Swish and Flick!" and "Stress the vowels, children, or you'll never be able to use this spell successfully!"

Not that that particularly bothered him. He didn't see what use a charms that caused a book to open would be of much use to him anyway.

He finally reached lunch and made a beeline to the Ravenclaw table. On his way there, one fourth year Gryffindor shouted that he was, "Obscene and revolting" which really hurt his feelings. Oh, well. He could always just cry himself to sleep on top of his mountains of money.

Rose Weasley approached him halfway through lunch, when he had finished his lunch and went to go get a headstart on his charms homework.

"You know, you can probably ask Professor Heartstorm if you can use one of her empty dungeons to practice your potion making skills. It'll take a lot to beat me." She informed him, fall into step beide him. Scorpius squinted at her.

"You wish," He muttered. "Why are you doing this, anyway? My family is responsible for your uncle's death." Rose looked at him in sort of a surprised way.

"For your information, Scorpius, I don't particularly give a crap what your family has done. In fact, it matters so little to me that I would probably sooner judge you on your hair colour than your last name." She stated flatly, rolling her eyes. "I have to go. Save me a seat in Herbology." Rose said, and walked away, leaving Scorpius standing alone in the middle of an empty hallway.

* * *

 _Rose_

Professor Hallen was a wrinkly old git.

That was her honest opinion. Though the class seemed to pass quickly, there was absolutely no action. They spent the class discussing the dangers of mispronounced curses. That was literally all they did. An hour and fifteen minutes at their disposal. First impression. Mispronounced effing curses. Seriously.

Herbology was much better. The class was very fast-pace, so there wasn't much time for her to talk to Malfoy, Sophie or Ness. However, they immediately got to work on planting Finvels, a plant known for its blood red leaves and sticky roots, which were used in many healing remedies.

Exhausted by their first day, the first years all ate dinner sluggishly and went straight to bed.

"Five inches long? Is she _crazy_?" Sophie exclaimed as she attempted to write her Potions essay in bed. "I am a first year! She-" Sophie pointed at Ness." -is a muggleborn! We don't know how to brew potions yet! That is what went wrong with our potions, Heartstorm!" Rose looked up from her _Hogwarts, A History: Revised Edition_ and looked at her friend.

"I think you have to elaborate. You know, have specific details." She put in mildly. Sophie let out a frustrated groan.

"Easy for you to say, Miss My-Potions-so-perfect-I-don't-have-to-do-homework!" She exclaimed before tossing her unfinished essay on the ground. "Whatever, I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

"Night." Ness and Rose chorused together. Rose sank into her green velvet comforter and closed her eyes.

 _She stood in a field of blackened grass. The sky above her swirled in a chaotic grey spiral. There were no sounds other than the whistling of the wind and the frantic pounding of her heart._

 _Suddenly, a high pitched scream echoed in the air, piercing the thick silence. The wind changed direction, lashing at her, clothes, her hair. A million images flashed before her eyes. A small boy with dark hair and haunted eyes sat on his bed, a box of odd trinkets in his lap. A redheaded man lay dead on the floor of Hogwarts while his twin screamed his name. A high, cold voice called out, "Kill the spare." An old wizard croaked out, "Severus, please…" as he was blasted through the windows behind him._

 _Then came the faces. A gaunt, starved man with long black hair. A young woman with bright pink spiky hair. A shabby brunet man with a wolfish grin. A long haired redhead with beautiful green eyes. A man with square glasses and black hair that stuck up in the back. A muscular boy with small eyes and a grim expression._

 _It was coming too quickly now, she couldn't control it. A thousand screams resonated in her head._

" _Be the Saviour-"_

" _No, not Harry, please, I'll do anything!"_

" _Always."_

" _You are not a killer, Draco…"_

" _I've done my waiting-"_

" _Stand aside girl, stand aside!"_

" _Kill the spare."_

" _Look...at….me…"_

" _Harry...Potter…"_

" _No, Fred, no!"_

 _ **There is another.**_

" _It's just me and you now, Riddle."_

" _Twelve years of it, in Azkaban!"_

" _My son-"_

 _ **It is not over.**_

" _Greater and more terrible than ever before."_

" _Draco, is he alive?"_

" _After all this time?"_

 _ **They are rising.**_

" _Your wand, Lucius."_

" _Wotcher, Harry."_

" _Not my daughter, Bitch!"_

 _ **They are coming back.**_

" _Greater and more terrible than ever before."_

" _Greater and more terrible than ever before."_

" _Greater_

 _And more_

 _Powerful_

 _Than ever_

 _Before."_

 _A beautiful melody filled the clearing. The tortured screams turned to whispers as the wind stopped. Everything stopped-time, movement, sound. One voice spoke with thousands in her head._

 _ **Beware the Deathly Hallows.**_

Rose awoke with a start. The melody still rung in her ears. Except… it was getting louder. And louder. Mystified, she peered out her window.

A single creature waited for her, illuminated by the first rays of a September sunrise. Scarlet and gold shined through the sky.

It looked like she had finally discovered what Godric Gryffindor's gift was.

 **Again, sorry for the cliffhanger. Next chapter should be up in the next two weeks. It would mean a lot to me if you left a review, but as I've said before, I will update regardless of how many reviews I get. See you next time!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I know, I'm a horrible human being. I am more than a month and a half late! But every time I wrote this chapter it just seemed so boring... and I kept changing it... And I didn't finish it... But now it's here! I'm not setting any date for when the next chapter should be out - judging from experience, it doesn't seem to work, does it? :P**

 **Disclaimer: Despite my efforts, I have been unable to successfully obtain ownership of the Harry Potter series. It's all Rowling, guys, nothing but the plot and a few characters is mine.**

 **Chp. 4**

 _Rose_

 _Rose awoke with a start. The melody still rung in her ears. Except… it was getting louder. And louder. Mystified, she peered out the window._

 _A single creature waited for her, illuminated by the first rays of a September sunrise. Scarlet and gold shined through the sky._

 _It looked like she had finally discovered what Godric Gryffindor's gift was._

A beautiful being soared through the orange clouds, light reflecting off its crimson feathers. The surface of the lake rippled as dozens of mermaids rose above to gaze at the creature in astonishment. Rose could see Professor Hagrid wiping tears from his eyes.

This wasn't possible. Even if this was what she thought it was, there hadn't been one sighted since-

"Dumbledore." Sophie whispered in awe. The girls in the dorm all crowded around the window to get a better view. Suddenly, the object of their attention swerved to the left and soared through their open window…

Landing right on Rose's shoulder.

There was a moment of silence in which she took to comprehend the previous events of the morning. First, the dream. She could still feel the icy wind tearing through her, and the terrified voices that screamed in her mind. And the loudest voice, the one that had spoken of the "Deathly Hallows"? What did it mean?

But this magnificent creature that had perched itself on her shoulder? This was almost an even greater mystery. Looking at it closely, Rose's suspicions were confirmed.

Sitting on her shoulder was a phoenix.

 _His name is Fawkes._ That voice, why was that voice familiar?

" _After all this time?"_

" _You are not a killer, Draco."_

" _Severus, please…"_

The doors to the dorm burst open. Professor McGonagall took one look at the girls (Including Rose) staring in shock at the magnificent bird and said crisply, "Miss Weasley, would you please follow me? I believe we have an important matter to discuss."

* * *

 _Scorpius_

The bird thing was _insane._ Practically the entire student body had their faces pressed to the window panes trying to see it.

It wasn't that Scorpius didn't know what the big deal was. His own father worked closely with many magical creatures. But it was as if Dumbledore himself had risen from the dead. Students and teachers alike were reduced to tears when they saw the phoenix. Even Professor McGonagall looked upset before bolting to the Slytherin dungeons.

The whole phoenix-into-the-Slytherin-common-rooms was kind of a general shocker, though. Scorpius heard one second year tell another that phoenixes were known for deception and greed in many cultures, practically the exact opposite of the truth.

"You're Scorpius Malfoy, right?" One of the Scamander twins asked. Since denying wasn't exactly an option, he slowly nodded.

"Cool, I'm Lysander Scamander. You're in our dorm, right?" He asked perkily. Scorpius nodded again. "Great. My twin brother and I are on our way to the kitchens, wanna come?"

Scorpius didn't have a clue why there were so many people hell-bent on being his friends, but who was he to complain? He was hungry and nobody was paying attention, so he slipped away with the Scamander twins.

"We discovered this last night." One of them - Lorcan, he thought - informed him. "We were just having a little peek around-"

"To make ourselves aware of our surroundings, you see-"

"And what did we find, Lysander?"

"Only what appears to be the answer to all of our dietary problems.'

"Yes, we have always wondered how we would supply ourselves with midnight snacks, you see, once we got here-"

"Our plans call for rather unorthodox mealtimes-"

"But luckily, Lorcan here discovered the key to our problems-"

"The Kitchens!"

Scorpius stumbled into the cozy kitchens. Dozens of house elves ran up to greet them.

"Oh, students, students! We is welcoming you's here! You is wanting food?" Before any of them could reply, plates of delicious leftovers were thrust into their hands. Scorpius looked down at the heaps of dinner in his arms.

"This is the perfect place for our operations!" cried Lysander. He looked sideways at Scorpius. "Can we trust you?"

Scorpius did not hesitate. "Yes."

"Good. You see, ever since we were wee little ones-"

"In our innocent days-"

"We have always admired the great-"

"The honorable-"

"Weasley twins!" They chorused together. Lorcan gestured wildly. "You see, the house elves are all very discreet, they won't tell anyone if we keep safe. And this place has tons of ingredients, plus few people even know how to get in here. We'll be legends!" They grinned like mad men.

Lysander peered at Scorpius, an odd expression on his face. "So, are you in?"

"In?" he replied dubiously. The twins rolled their eyes.

" _In._ As in, are you going to participate in our pranks?"

"Oh.. um… yes?" It was phrased as a question, but it seemed like the twins accepted the answer, judging by their whoops of glee.

"Great! The greatest pranksters since the Marauders and the Weasley Twins!" They laughed and pulled him out of the kitchens.

What had he gotten himself into?

* * *

 _Rose_

"This is an unusual circumstance, as you may know, Miss Weasley. Very unusual." Headmistress McGonagall studied Rose closely. "Normally, we only accept owls, toads, cats and rats, but this is not normal."

"I know, Professor. He just showed up. I had no idea." Rose muttered, not dring to meet her teacher's gaze. Something told her that the dream was not meant to be shared.

"I suppose he can take the place of an owl, since you do not own a pet." McGonagall hesitated, frowning. "His name is Fawkes, you know. This particular phoenix was the pet of Albus Dumbledore. Take good care of him." Rose nodded.

Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, "Professor, don't you need a permit to own a Class 4 rare magical animal?" The headmistress stared at Fawkes for a moment.

"I don't see any reason to bring the Ministry into this. Good day, Miss Weasley."

* * *

Trust Madeline Goyle to tell everyone in the school about Rose's new pet.

By the time she had reached breakfast, half the school had heard about it. As she took her seat with Ness and Sophie, (both of whom had the decency not to pester her with questions) about thirty students all swarmed her in an attempt to get the details about what had happened. After half a minute of dodging questions and shoving people away from her, Sophie stood up and yelled, "Shows over, pricks, go find someone else to annoy!" When this didn't work, she pulled out her wand threateningly.

That worked.

By lunchtime, Rose had successfully avoided at least a hundred students, failed to capture Albus's attention in the halls twice, and been called "Traitor" "Half Blood Bitch" and "Slytherin Sneak". Even the teachers found it difficult not to take sides. Professor Hallen took twenty points from Slytherin when she snapped her quill too loudly and disrupted his monotone on wand holding (Although he completely disregarded the boy in the back who muttered something like " _I bet you know plenty about wand holding, Professor.")_ , and Professor Patil awarded her fifteen because she had gotten to class on time. Her entire day was spent trying to avoid the prying eyes focused on her at all times and attempting to stop Fawkes from following her around. The phoenix seemed to have made it his personal mission to sit on the windowsill of every classroom Rose entered and chirp hypnotizing melodies to her mesmerized classmates.

Finally, after an extremely long day, it was time for flying lessons at the quidditch pitch. Rose, like her father had always loved quidditch, and intended to make the House Team next year. She hadn't anticipated that she would be playing for Slytherin, but oh well. Water under the bridge.

The first year Ravenclaws and Slytherins lined up as instructed while Madam Crone looked at them disapprovingly. When she spoke, the crowd hushed and immediately latched onto her words.

"Quidditch," she began, pacing up and down the row of students, "is not just a sport. It is the feeling of wind weaving through your hair, the sound of your heart pounding in your chest, the feeling of adrenaline rushing through your veins. It is the single collective roar of the audience, the blur of the world around you as you race through the air. When you are on that broom," she gestured towards the heap of ancient brooms at her feet, "you are one wind the sky. Your only goal is to finish the game, whether it means one more goal, one more hit, one more save, or your hand finally closing around that tiny golden ball. Quidditch is not just a sport."

Unfortunately, after that captivating speech the period became incredibly dull for Rose. Since her father had been teaching her to ride since she could crawl, the basics were extremely boring to her. Most of the other students were simply dreadful, with the exception of Scorpius, who had probably been given top of the line lessons his whole life, and another Ravenclaw Rose wasn't familiar with.

"Nice flying out their, prettyboy. What, did a former Holyhead Harpies coach privately tutor you at your mansion?" She teased the pale boy as Madam Crone lectured a Slytherin boy on why bashing another student with a broom was simply unacceptable. Scorpius looked a bit miffed.

"For your information, my father taught me to fly. And I don't live in a mansion." He told her coldly. Rose frowned.

"Woah, didn't mean to insult you, it was a compliment. My mother always says I have the emotional range of a teaspoon. And you really should get used to it, seeing as how you're kinda stuck with me." She told him. For some reason, he didn't look very reassured by her statement.

"Since we're on the topic of your life, where _do_ you live?" Rose inquired, unable to help yourself. Scorpius seemed wary, but answered her question.

"In a muggle neighbourhood in a town called Brackenbury, about six hours from London by muggle car." He replied. Rose was surprised, understandably. The Malfoys were one of the richest pureblood families in Europe, and had been known as devout supporters of You-Know-Who. To hear that they resided in a muggle town was shocking.

"A muggle town?" Rose pressed. "Really? How big is your house? Do you have any siblings? Do you have muggle friends?" Her eagerness was obvious. Scorpius sighed and began to speak.

"My house has five bedrooms. I told you, not a mansion. As for siblings… n-no. And I went to muggle primary school, so I know a few, but they mostly kept away from me. The story is that I go to a prestigious private school in Scotland." He muttered in monotone. Rose frowned at his statement. It was an odd way to announce he had no siblings, but she let it slide, excited that she had finally gotten some information out of her new friend.

"Don't sound so irritated, I know you secretly like me," She murmured back to him. She watched closely as he tried to hide his grin. "I see right through you, Scorpius Malfoy."

* * *

Days turned into weeks as the air grew colder on Hogwarts grounds, and the first years suddenly found themselves days away from winter holiday. Rose had still not been able to talk to Albus, as he usually avoided her in the hallways and refused to answer her when she tried to contact him. After about two weeks, she had stopped trying. The rest of the family treated her kindly, but they couldn't all hide the disappointment and repulsion they felt about her house. Her family grew colder to her as autumn progressed into winter, and soon she was left with only her friends and a few select cousins. Her father refused to reply to her letters, so Rose turned to her only correspondences outside of Hogwarts-her mum and brother. Since the promised Howler had never come, she had little reason to believe her dad was actually truly angry with her and rather stewing in self pity and resentment (although she did receive a letter from her mum inquiring where a bouquet of green and silver roses had come from).

Another matter was Fawkes. She had not been able to explain to her mother about him, and as far as she knew McGonagall hadn't sent a letter home. Rose wasn't even sure whether or not she was going home for christmas, but bringing a magical rare bird that used to be the familiar to one of the most powerful wizards ever might raise a few questions. Yet she couldn't bear to be away from the beautiful creature for long.

She contemplated her dilemma on a cold November morning a week and a half away from the Christmas holidays. It was a saturday (thank merlin), which Rose welcomed with relief. The week had been long and stressful, with various professors piling up the homework in an effort to keep their students from the seduction of winter holiday. At the moment she was curled up in a library window, tucked away from the few students who opted to spend their saturday morning in the library of all places.

Rose bit her lip nervously. Students who were staying at Hogwarts over christmas were required to sign up by wednesday, and she had absolutely no idea what she was going to do, considering the recent tension in her family. On one hand, she really did need to talk to her dad about… well, everything. On the other hand, wouldn't it be better just to stay away until everything calmed down?

 _Who am I to ever run away from a fight?_ She thought suddenly. _I'm Rose bloody Weasley, for merlin's sake! Since when do I, of all people, hide out until the coast is clear?_ She stood up suddenly, knocking Fawkes off her shoulder from where he had been peacefully resting. It was settled, then. People could (and had) insult a lot of things about her, but her _pride_? Voldemort would lead a _Muggles are People too!_ Campaign before _that_ would happen. Rose Weasley did not back down from a challenge. Ever. Her father would just have to deal with that because, like it or not, Rose Weasley was coming home for christmas.

 _Albus_

"Albus!" Rose's voice echoed through the empty corridor. "Albus!"

Albus grimaced. He had thought Rose would have stopped trying to talk to him within the first month of school, but here she was, trying again after three months of silence.

"You know what? Fine." Before Albus could even blink, he was completely immobilized. He fell to the ground with loud _thump_. Rose stood over him, smirking.

"Now you can listen to me. Your prejudices against Slytherin are stupid and hateful. I am the same person I have always been. You, however, are acting like a childish prat. Now either talk to me and have a mature conversation with me, or I could mention to your mum how _terrible_ you find me and my house." She sad in one rushed breath before de immobilizing Albus. He stood up shakily, glaring at his cousin. Before he could stop himself,his mouth opened.

"You're the one who got herself sorted into Slytherin! I was so excited, thinking we could be in the same house and _everything_ would be awesome, but you ruined it! Now you're one of those pureblood fanatics and you're friends with a _Malfoy_ , and I just can't be friends with you anymore, Rose!" He exclaimed angrily. He definitely wasn't prepared for what came next.

" _I_ got myself sorted into Slytherin? _I_ chose to be constantly ridiculed and shunned by half my family? I chose to have my father not speaking to me, my best friend ignoring me, and the general population of Hogwarts either fearing me or hating me? _I_ did that?" He opened his mouth to feebly answer, but she was yelling again before he could even get a word out.

"And on top of all that, now I have _you_ , telling me how I should live my life and that now I'm some sort of _villain_ , as if _I'm_ the one who has decided to hate the person they've known since birth because of their house? Slytherin is an amazing house, and you know what? Everyone says Slytherin is evil, just because there are more dark wizards that have com out of it than the other houses. You know what dark wizards need? To be cunning. To have ambition. You know which house favors cunning and ambition? SLYTHERIN! _SLYTHERIN VALUES THOSE BLOODY TRAITS!_ You know who was in Slytherin? Merlin. Severus Snape. Aunt Andromeda. Peter Pettigrew, remember him? _He was a bloody Gryffindor!_ " Rose paused for a moment to take a quick breath. When she spoke again, her voice was low and steady.

"Don't you dare tell me that I'm evil. Don't you dare act like this is my doing. You're the one responsible for the loss of our friendship, Albus. And don't you _dare_ act like you are any better than me. My house is not inferior to yours. And I don't need your friendship." She turned swiftly and walked briskly across the hall, leaving Albus, shocked, on the floor. Right before she turned the corner, he heard her voice, holding no pity for him

"See you at Christmas."

 _Scorpius_

"... And then we were planning on setting a bunch of `Weasley's Wild Fireworks loose in Filch's office to distract him, and-" Scorpius cut Lorcan off quickly.

"And how were you planning on getting into Filch's office, exactly?" He inquired. The twins looked at him, frowning.

"We hadn't really gotten that far…" Lysander admitted.

"But that's where you come in, Scorp!" Lorcan exclaimed hopefully. Scorpius snorted.

"Yeah, no. I'm off, I have to study for our Charms quiz on Thursday." He told them. He didn't really have to study, it wasn't as if he wouldn't ace it, but he was growing a bit weary of the Scamander twins' numerous poorly thought out plans.

He left the Ravenclaw common room quickly and decided to spend the next hour or so in the library.

He didn't make it as far as the next hallway before running into Rose.

"Hey, Scor," she greeted him cheerfully, falling casually into step beside him. "Just screamed my head off my cousin for about ten minutes. How's your day been?"

"Alright, mostly. Took me a bloody hour to get rid of the Scamander twins." He told her. "Any luck with your dilemma?"

"Oh, I've decided I'm going home. Can't wait, I get to see dad's face turn its famous dark red. Last time that happened… let's just say it didn't; end well." She answered.

"I'm sure he'll love your choice in friends," Scorpius muttered sarcastically. Rose looked surprised.

"Why should it be any of his business? You're my best friend, and a hell of a lot nicer to me now than the rest of my family is being." She said fiercely. His spirits were quickly lifted.

"Thanks, Rose. You're my best friend too," He said quietly. For some reason, his near almost skipped a eat when she smiled. "I have to get going, though. I have an essay on Rowena Ravenclaw due tuesday. A foot log, can you believe that? Hes mad, i tell you."

"Alright, see you later," She called as he headed towards the library.

 _Rose_

Talk of Scor's essay had reminded Rose of the event of the Sorting. She had been having the same recurring dream she had had right before Fawkes arrived almost every night, but had so far not received any contact from the Founders. Reaching down, she grasped the blue jewel that hung from the silver chain around her neck. Once, she had attempted to throw it away, sick of the dreams and sleepless nights. It had reappeared on her neck the following morning.

Rose looked into the jewel, studying the crack that ran down the middle. She wondered how it had gotten there.

" _We heard you say you were looking for a die-dum. What's a die-dum, Harry?"_

" _Fiendfyre-"_

" _If we die for them, I'll kill you, Harry!"_

 _Words fly past Rose's ears as she stands in the middle of a room entirely engulfed in a green fire. Flames begin to lick at her feet, her arms. They dance up her robes, eat at her skin. Her screams never leave her lips as she burns, powerless, immobile._

 _ **You must understand.**_

 _Suddenly, the flames are swirling, and a man's high, unnatural shriek fills the air._

 _ **There is another.**_

 _She can't hear anything now, save for the beat of her heart in her ears. Smoke fills her throat._

 _ **Find it.**_

 _There's a ringing in her ears, and she feels herself fall._

 _And_

 _She's_

 _Falling,_

 _Falling,_

 _F_

 _A_

 _L_

 _L_

 _I_

 _N_

 _G_

 _._

Rose opened her eyes and screamed, still feeling the flames on her flesh. Her arms and clothes were smoking, and she swayed entirely the wrong way, her torso catching on the banister of the hallway, flipping her over and sending her falling down five stories of open space until, finally, Rose Weasley's severely burnt body landed with a horrible crack on the stone floor. Blood seeped out from under her head as the first students saw her, and continued to pool onto the grey stone until teachers arrived to frantically attempt to save her.

They never could get the bloodstain out of the floor.

 **Not really sure why I made this such a cliffhanger. Anyway, stay tuned for the next update! Also, one more thing I wanted to mention - I was thinking of changing the name and making this a series spanning from Rose's first year to her last. R &R, tell me what you think!**


End file.
